Map of the Universe

A new map of the universe, painted with cosmic neutrinos: Wired – Sept. 10

… “That certainly sparked a lot of interest,” said Marcos Santander, an IceCube collaborator at The University of Alabama.

State Fossil

Alabama’s surprising symbol: How a 35M-year-old fossil became a state emblem: CBS Huntsville – Sept. 11

… Another Basilosaurus specimen is displayed in the Alabama Museum of Natural History at The University of Alabama (UA). According to UA, it is believed that Basilosaurus fed mostly on sharks and fish based on stomach contents. UA says the whale grew to be about 50-60 feet long, a bit longer than a modern sperm whale, and added that the Basilosaurus was a primitive whale that isn’t related to any modern whales you would see alive today.

Cave Rescue

Cave rescue update: UA professor gives update on colleague: WVUA – Sept. 12

An American caver is recovering after being rescued in Turkey. 40-year-old Mark Dickey became sick during a cave dive more than 3-thousand feet underground. It took rescue crews days to stabilize him and bring him to surface for treatment. Hazel Barton is a UA professor who knows Mark Dickey. Barton went on a cave exploration with dickey in 2020. The close community of cavers often visit remote sites all over the world. Barton gives us an update on his condition.

Military Coups

Fewer coups in Latin America, more in Africa: The Hindu (India) – Sept. 14

… Why do coups happen in the first place? Holger Albrecht from The University of Alabama and Ferdinand Eibl from King’s College, London have studied who starts military coups and what their incentives might be. They stated that measures like increased military spending might discourage top-ranking military officers from starting coups. In the case of combat-level officers, they noted that increased social spending that reflects on their individual welfare might be an effective coup-proofing measure.

Voter Participation

Alabama voter registration climbs, but turnout lags rest of nation: Alabama Reflector – Sept. 15

… Richard Fording, a professor of political science at The University of Alabama, said “the numbers aren’t bad.”… “Alabama was classified as a state with a traditionalistic political culture,” Fording said. “That means a few different things, but with respect to the orientation of government participation, it is an elitist orientation.”